Belonging
by EruditeWitch
Summary: When an opportunity arises for Draco’s absolution, he finds himself in the least likely of places, with the least likely of people. Charlie/Draco


**AN**: written for Weasley_Fest 2009 on livejournal.

**Belonging**

The slow dripping of water in the corner of his cell grated at Draco's already dangling nerves. He had tried everything his meager means would allow him to make the persistent sound stop; from putting an old tin under it…which just made it worse, to wadding up a spare cloth to cover the offending sound. Still, the lively clatter of cool water haunted his ears, driving him to madness on those dark and lonely nights.

The heavy footsteps of two Azkaban guards and the maniacal sniveling of a broken man could be heard clattering down the hall, breaking him from his madness…for now.

"Great, another one," Draco mumbled to himself when he saw the deep, black, beady eyes of Yaxley staring at him through the bars of the cell. He caught sight of Draco and immediately planted his feet. Draco could see expectant, malevolent sneers on the lips of the guards, telling him they weren't going to do anything.

"Ahhh, I heard tell that the little rat had a nest in here. Too bad your whore of a mother sucked Potter's cock and managed to stay free. What did you…" Yaxley started to ask, but never finished.

Draco leapt up, grabbing a large hunk of the offending man's hair and pulling his head sharply against the bars. Draco felt a sense of release as he poured all his rage, pain, and loss of dignity into that one act of malice. "If you ever speak ill of my mother again, I'll rip your head off!"

Suddenly, a guard drew his wand and bound Draco against the bars so tightly; he knew he must have cracked a rib.

"Aww, Poor Draco misses his mum. Well, maybe you shouldn't have got into bed with disgusting, vile creatures like this," the guard said, tossing Yaxley's whimpering form to the side. The ropes around Draco began to tighten and he started to struggle for air.

"What's the matter?" the guard asked mockingly. "Can't breathe? Well, maybe you should have just run and hid like your dirty coward of a father!"

Draco couldn't reply because the pain in his chest became excruciating. As suddenly as it began, his guards departed and his bindings disappeared, leaving Draco heaving for air on the floor of his cell.

As he drew burning breaths into his lungs, Draco let the mantra spill forth from his lips, "Just three more months, just three more months…"

Whenever the madness became unbearable, Draco had to force the bitter reminder down his throat of why he was in this situation. His mother was free, she was safe, and most of her individual wealth was in her possession. Harry Potter had spoken at her trial, and now her life was her own.

Draco couldn't bear to put her through any more pain. When his father had come to him one night and begged him to run off with the remaining Death Eaters, Draco had refused for the sake of his mother.

So it was for the sake of his mother that Draco had willingly walked to trial. That Mudblood had spoken for him, tearfully recalling how he had tried to hide their identities before she was tortured. Draco hadn't known whether to be repulsed and shamed by her help or relieved by it. But after her testimony, he would only have to endure one year of Azkaban's filth and agony.

He hobbled back to his dank bench/bed, moving just in time to avoid another disgusting wad of spit from a passing inmate. He attempted to move slowly, hoping his rib would heal, as he pulled his knees up to his chest and looked out through the ridiculously tiny window in his cell.

Draco eased into another uneasy sleep with the persistent dripping of water invading his dark and foreboding dreams.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Charlie Weasley's eyes cracked open as soon as dawn peaked its head over the Carpathian Mountains. His body was finely tuned after years of rising to tend to dragons. He rolled over the edge of his bed and stretched out his rested, yet still tight, muscles. The sight of an empty bottle of hangover potion and a deep groan that came up from beside him caused Charlie to give a reminiscent smirk.

It had been another night at the pub, another visiting dignitary, and another night of passion for Charlie Weasley. He looked over at the Swedish man, a delegate for the Swedish Magical Beasts Division. His name was Anders and he was tall, pale, blonde, and just a little more muscular than Charlie preferred. The best things about Anders were that he was up for I_anything_ _and_/Ihe was leaving the next day.

_"A fruitful way to spend the evening_," Charlie thought, chuckling at his own pun.

Charlie threw on his shorts, found some clean jeans and a tee-shirt, fished out his protective gear, and went to check on the latest batch of eggs. Before leaving, he set out some fruit and yogurt for Anders. He left a goodbye note and asked him to lock up. Of course, before leaving for the day, he gave Anders one more approving look up and down, his cock already beginning to throb at the recollections of the previous night. He stifled his arousal, laced up his boots, and walked out the door of his small house.

Charlie wasn't a cold man, nor was he heartless. He didn't use his lovers just for sex, but he made sure they knew he was married to his work. So without the ability or desire to commit, he found himself saying a lot of these morning goodbyes. Sometimes it broke his heart, sometimes it didn't, but every day Charlie longed for the tenderness of a familiar pair of arms.

Charlie walked the short distance to the gate of the reserve, cast the identifying spells, and squelched his boots along the road toward the impossibly large nursery pitch. He breathed the heavy air, never tiring of the smell of earth and fire. Even more majestic for Charlie was the sight of those massive nests with the perfectly smooth eggs at rest in them. As Charlie surveyed the five nests and mothers, he couldn't contain his excitement for the newest brook to be born. Quickly and happily, he levitated the gigantic buckets of feed to the feet of the mothers.

"Weasley! Meeting in the mess hall!" shouted the reserve captain, Dobson, as she walked hurriedly by.

Charlie finished feeding the last mother and headed off to see what the fuss was about.

The large hall was overflowing with employees of the reserve. Even the temporary workers and the migrants who cleaned the pitches were there, sitting with confused but intrigued looks on their faces. Causing a sudden quiet to fall over the crown, Dobson stood at a makeshift podium to speak.

"As you all know, we've got five hatchlings coming within the next few weeks. That means we'll also have five angry mothers. While this task is daunting in itself, we also have the males and a collection of young dragons to tend to as well. There has been grumbling through the barns about how we're going to handle this unprecedented onslaught." Dobson paused as a murmur of ascent spread through the crowd.

Dobson continued to speak, straightening her glasses and pulling a scroll from the pocket of her lab coat. "Dear Ms. Dobson," she read aloud, pride in her melodic voice. "Your request for an inmate work exchange has been granted. We are hereby sending you twelve non-dangerous criminals who are nearing probation to finish their sentences on your conservatory."

When she finished, there was silence followed by a low rumbling that increased in seconds.

"We don't want Death Eaters near the creatures! The power they could harness…" One man exclaimed to Charlie's left.

"They will be without wands, and they are non-violent, so I doubt those scumbags will be here," Dobson answered sharply. Her dark eyes seemed to command the room and immediately silenced the naysayers. "That's better," she said, signaling to the back door.

Charlie turned his attention just as heavy oak doors opened. The uniformed Azkaban guards led a literal chain of prisoners in dank, dirty gray uniforms as another guard followed the line. A flash of white-blonde hair caught Charlie's eye and he couldn't look away. There stood the infamous and loathed Draco Malfoy himself, though not as Charlie remembered him. This Draco was gaunt, bruised, broken, and slightly hunched over. Charlie had to resist a sudden and surprising urge to reach out and stroke his slumping shoulders.

When the chained inmates were lined up next to Dobson's tall and formidable form, she cleared her throat. "Guards, I think we can handle ourselves now. We'll send word if we need you," she said, gesturing toward the door.

They huffed, and threw down the chains hard enough to cause some of the prisoners to land on the floor in a crash. Charlie's co-workers snickered derisively at the injured inmates, clapping the guards on the back as they left.

"Now, Charlie Weasley will select five of the prisoners to help him with the toddling dragons so his team can welcome the nursery babies. Capraru will take two for the bullpen. Most of our migrants will move to the bull pen as well, making room for the remainder of the inmates to shovel dung," she said, a wide smile drawing across her face at the disgusted look on the prisoners'.

Charlie selected both females, knowing young dragons sometimes only respond to women. He picked out two beefy men to help with the adolescents that were almost ready to be herded out. Finally, he stopped at Draco for reasons and compulsions Charlie could not explain.

Dobson instructed Charlie and his team to unchain their workers and show them the dormitories. Again, Charlie was drawn to Draco's slumping form. Charlie cast a spell to unshackle Draco and was visibly startled at seeing large, ringed bruises around the prisoner's wrists.

"Let me heal that," Charlie said gruffly.

"I don't need pity, especially from a Weasley," Draco sneered, his cold, gray eyes like fire. His sunken form seemed to rise up and spread wings at the opportunity for defiance.

Charlie steeled at the dark look in Draco's eyes. He had a rush of excitement at the obvious challenge. Draco was an untamed dragon, blowing smoke and fire at anyone who dared to cross his path. Charlie hadn't met a dragon he couldn't tame. He felt a smirk forming as he stared down the former Death Eater.

"Alright team!" Charlie shouted, and became deeply satisfied when he saw Draco jump slightly. "I want you to heal up these prisoners as best you can. They need to be in top form for our tots."

All of the members of his team nodded obediently as they began healing wrists. Charlie looked smugly at Draco, healing him too. He and his team then led the five prisoners to the newly constructed dorm rooms nearest to the nursery pitches. With a sweep of his wand, he unlocked and opened the five doors.

"The deal is, you won't be locked in during the day," said Charlie, causing the prisoners to smile openly, but he got the most enjoyment out of the flick of an interested brow on Draco's face. "However, you will be locked on the reserve for the duration, as well as being restricted to this sector at night. We'll have security charms up and someone on the reserve to monitor you at all times. As long as you don't cause trouble and don't try to escape, your probation will be granted," Charlie said, smiling at his chance to deliver good news.

At hearing the news, Draco just turned on his heels and sauntered into the room. His face was etched with a look of disgust, but Charlie knew masks well enough to see the relief that washed over his forehead and shoulders.

"There are a few sets of work clothes in the bureau, a wash basin in the corner, and a loo down the hall. The showers are in the locker room just off of the infirmary. There is a map of the reserve on the desk," Charlie said to Draco, attempting not to stare as his hips swayed slightly while surveying the room. He turned his mouth back to his team, but his eyes did not leaving Draco's hypnotic form that was evident even through his prison clothes. "Get settled and cleaned up! Team and new members, meet me in Pitch 12 in two hours."

As Draco turned back around, Charlie walked away, trying to avoid his own body. "Bloody dusty little hovel," Charlie heard Draco mutter as he walked down the hall. He walked slowly back to the room.

"What was that?" Charlie said to the sour faced man.

"Nothing," Draco murmured, his soft voice a cover as his eyes blazed in Charlie's direction.

"This is a good thing and you know it. Have a problem? Whine to your mum about it," Charlie said flippantly, walking back through the door.

Suddenly, he was slammed into the door fame, his head hitting the thick wood hard and making him momentarily dizzy. Luckily Charlie was still quick, and had his wand on Draco's neck even as the long pale fingers curled around his throat.

Draco's body was pressed hard against his and Charlie let out a groan he hoped had been disguised as anger and not arousal. Draco's eyes met his, burning with so many indescribable emotions that Charlie was lost. Draco's body was long and thin against his chiseled physique. He longed to run his hands up and down Draco's back, but the self-loathing of that thought was enough to snap Charlie back to reality.

"Never speak ill of my mother," Draco spoke through clenched teeth.

Charlie fed off Draco's fiery rage and grabbed the fingers around his neck with his free hand. He pried them away, bending the bones back in the process, causing Draco to cry out in pain.

"This is your one free pass," Charlie spat, pushing Draco against the wall before lumbering back down to the nursery pitches.

Draco pulled his shaking body away from the wall. Weasley's strength was overwhelming, but even as he was nearly breaking Dracos fingers, the familiar malice he felt from almost every other person was nowhere in Charlie's light brown eyes. It disturbed him to find someone who wasn't so prone to hate, especially someone with that much brute force.

"_And that's all he is_," Draco thought, "_a caveman like the other Weasleys_." The young man smiled, satisfied at his own conclusion, even as his body still buzzed where he had pressed up against Charlie's large form. He took some rough jeans, a black cotton shirt, and protective gloves and shoes out of the dresser. He folded them neatly in his arms, searching the map for the shower area.

The shower room was wooden, from the floor to the ceiling, like a sauna. There were a dozen stalls lining the walls, each with doors and walls for the sake of modesty. Draco couldn't help but smile gratefully at the thought of his first shower in nine months. Cleansing spells performed once a week by a vengeful guard were not the same. He found soap, shampoo, and a towel in the cupboard.

As the warm water ran over his dry skin, Draco audibly sighed in relief. It was like someone was touching him, caressing him, and he craved tender contact of any kind after the past few years. He always found none. He turned up the temperature so that the heat flooded the room in an attempt to wash the filth and shame off of his skin.

When he ran a soft cloth over his body, he found his cock hardening for the first time in at least a year, and he moaned despite himself. He let his hands roam over his chest, reveling in the familiar heat coiling in his abdomen. Draco moaned loudly again with want, missing the feeling of release, and gripped he top of the wooden shower wall.

As his fingers wrapped around his aching cock, Draco's mind was invaded by images of Charlie Weasley. His hips thrust forward imagining how it would feel to have Charlie pressed against them. Draco whimpered at the thought of what those full lips would feel like pulling on his. He whispered Charlie's name and came quickly, the white spray smattering the shower wall as his stomach clenched and unclenched.

When his heart slowed, Draco turned off the water and quickly toweled off. He was filled with disgust at where his mind had just taken him, and he could barely meet his own eyes in the mirror when he shaved his face. After dressing and putting on the protective gear, he hit the wall hard, relishing the sting on his knuckles against the unyielding surface. Draco hoped that his painful hand could keep him distracted the rest of the day.

To his surprise, the day went by quickly. He was trained with a young woman to watch over the adolescent females while Charlie and his team worked in the nursery. They learned how to feed them, record their burns for intensity and volume, and clean their cages. Each day, they had to weigh and measure each dragon. All in all, Draco was looking forward to having a job to do, and a fairly easy one at that. By the time they were to go to the dining room for dinner, Draco was feeling more content and at ease than he had felt in years. He hated to admit it, but he felt almost happy in the open, cold air of the reserve.

The smells in the hall were so enticing, Draco found himself moving quickly toward the entrance. It wasn't very crowded inside. A few migrants, the prisoners, the conservatory director, and of course…Weasley … were it's only inhabitants. He was handed a plate and was invited to serve himself from the spread at the head table. His stomach almost convulsed in anticipation of what he saw: Boiled potatoes, butter, rolls, sausage, carrots and even mince pie. He put all he could fit eagerly on his plate; trying to ignore the little voice in his head that reminded him a Malfoy never eats this filth. He didn't feel like a Malfoy at the moment. He felt like he hadn't eaten in years.

He sat at an empty table, eating the food with as much dignity as he could while his body cried out for more. His bites were hurried and incautious, but he assured his dignity remained intact by sitting up straight and avoiding any messes. He lifted his eyes after a few glorious moments of enjoyment to find Weasley looking at him with amusement.

Draco shot him a look with every ounce of loathing he could muster to wipe that ridiculous smirk off of Weaslsey's face. He had a mouthful of food, juice from the sausage dripping from his chin, and crumbs smattering his shirt. He looked disgusting…or at least Draco wished he did. He couldn't suppress the images dancing in his mind of licking Charlie's chin clean, running his lips up and down his neck, and cupping his hands over Weasley's throbbing cock.

He quickly lost his appetite and turned down dessert.

Draco Malfoy was not a homosexual. In fact, one couldn't even call him a sexual deviant. He had only been with one person his entire short life, and Pansy Parkinson was no doubt a woman…a beautiful one. However, his relationship with her went nowhere and despite his inexperience, he could tell the sex was lackluster. As he lay in his new bed that night, enjoying the luxury of a blanket, he couldn't help but envision how very un-lackluster Charlie Weasley probably was in bed.

Charlie leaned his head down as close as he could to the Welsh Green's eggs while she was sedated, and he cracked a huge smile. The egg was quivering lightly and very warm to the touch. In a month, they would welcome a new round of successful hatchlings to the International Dragon Reserve. Charlie could hardly wait for the slimy creatures to crawl weakly from their little shells.

He inspected the rest of the eggs and found them all to be in good condition. After giving the nod for his team to wake up the mother, Charlie made his way to the pens where the last hatchlings were now "teenagers." Soon, they would be tagged and sent out into the wild.

He spotted Draco Malfoy measuring a small female while she remained remarkably subdued for him to do so. It had been a month since Draco had been dragged into the reserve in chains, and Charlie had seen a change in Draco that was nothing short of astounding. He stood straight, his wounds healed, and despite never smiling, the corner of his soft lips did turn up slightly in amusement on rare occasions. Charlie tried not to let his eyes linger too long, but over the last few weeks, he hadn't been able to help but watch. Draco's gray skin had morphed into a healthy appearance, his long body firmed up, and his gray eyes had even begun to spark. As he watched Draco corral the young dragon back to her place with the grace of a dancer, he had the urge to run his hands all over the younger wizard's body. The way the tight jeans provided by the reserve showed the shape of his round arse perfectly made Charlie have to discreetly adjust himself before entering the pen.

As he entered through the gate, Janine, a teammate of his from France came in with a clipboard to take the measurement information.

"I think this one might be too little to go into the larger group," Draco said authoritatively.

"Is zat so?" Janine answered sarcastically. "Pray, leave zees decisions to wizards who know what zey are talking about," she finished with disdain.

The proverbial fire in Draco appeared to burn. Charlie regarded it with fascination as it filled the soft, pale face. He could almost imagine steam and smoke rising up from the former Death Eater's throat. If Draco were really a dragon, Charlie would draw his wand, put up his fire guard, and then place his hands carefully on the dragon's neck, meeting its eyes. The less magic he had to use the better. But Charlie was sure he'd get burned if he placed his hands on Draco. So instead, he simply watched and waited for the fire in Draco's answer to Janine.

"Terribly sorry," Draco said with a sneer. "I was just drawing an educated conclusion…something I'm sure you know nothing about."

"You mean to say zat I am under-educated?" Janine shrieked. "I vas taught at Beauxbatons where there was no Death Eater scum like you," she drew her wand on Draco's neck.

"Janine!" Charlie yelled, drawing his own wand.

"You naïve little bint! They were everywhere! They were at your school, I assure you. No one could escape them, no one was safe," Draco was shouting now, his entire face red.

Janine drew back her wand to strike, her long brown hair falling from its braid. Draco did not flinch, but simply began to stare at her derisively, as if challenging her to do it.

"Expelliarmus!" Charlie yelled. Janine's wand flew from her hand into his. "Come with me…now."

"We shouldn't be allowing dis shit near our dragons!" she squealed angrily, following Charlie to the other side of the fence.

As Charlie opened his mouth to scold Janine, he heard quick footsteps squelching across the mud of the pen…sounding almost like a herd of people running forward. Charlie ran back to find three large men from the cage cleaning crew running at Draco. He simply stood there, back straight, lips pursed, as two of the men grabbed his arms.

"You just can't keep your fucking mouth shut, can you Malfoy?" the third man asked. Draco just stood there with fire in his eyes, nostrils flared, as his arms were pulled tight. "We still have operatives in that school and you've just endangered them! Looking for more tickets out, you coward?"

Before Charlie could even cast a spell, a shovel came down hard across Draco's face and he fell limply to the ground.

"Help!" Charlie yelled, and Janine ran back in and cast ropes around the three men. Charlie and Dobson ran to Draco, she checked his vitals and then levitated him next to her. Charlie stood frozen tto the core, gazing at Draco's beautiful face.

"Weasley! Come with me to the infirmary. Wilkes is off and you're the only one here who can heal worth a damn," she yelled, running with Draco's limp form floating beside her.

When they arrived at the infirmary, Dobson laid Draco on the table and Charlie confirmed he was breathing and had a pulse. He did a cleansing charm on Draco's face, clearing the mud to see his wounds better. Draco's pointed nose was badly broken and gushing blood. His left cheek had a severe gash on it that bruised as it moved to his eyes. Charlie made quick work of healing both injuries, reminding himself to floo his mother and thank her for the healing spells as soon as he could.

He had to wake Draco to feed him a concussion potion and check for other injuries. _"Ennervate,"_ Charlie whispered, and Draco's eyes shot open. Charlie placed his hands gently on Draco's shoulders to keep him from getting up.

"Get your filthy hands off of me, Weasley," Draco said weakly, struggling against him.

"Keep your pants on, Malfoy," Charlie said, blushing involuntarily. "I am not good with wand scans, so I want to check for head injuries real quick before you go prancing off to your lovely friends."

Draco's nostrils flared, but he said nothing.

Charlie placed two hands on the sides of Draco's face; rubbing his fingers softly into the flesh of his head to check for any unseen bumps. He knew he was lingering too long, but when he saw Draco's eyes close and his hips shift, Charlie wanted to linger forever.

"Okay, just sit up and take this for a possible concussion and this one for the pain…just to be safe," Charlie said, handing Draco two bottles. He wrapped his lips around the top and Charlie thought he would groan at the sexuality of Draco's mouth.

Charlie put both of his hands softly on Draco's neck, meeting his eyes as though he were calming a dragon. He rubbed his fingers gently into the injured man's neck and used his thumbs to turn Draco's head from side to side. When he didn't wince, Charlie was sure he was out of the woods, but he didn't remove his hands from the warmth of the younger man's flesh. There were too many questions plaguing his mind to turn back.

"You didn't even put up a fight. Why did you just let them do that? Why didn't you call out? Why didn't you run?" Charlie whispered, now inches away from Draco's face.

He waited with baited breath for something, an answer, a sarcastic insult, a punch in the face…anything, really. What he was not waiting for was the feeling of Draco's hands on the back of his neck, the flame of his eyes bursting.

Suddenly, Draco's lips were moving across Charlie's, as he stood confused and frozen. This abated almost immediately, and Charlie tightened his grip on Draco's face, pressing himself against the blonde man's body. His tongue moved across Draco's cool, smooth lips, and soon it was fighting with Draco's for dominance.

Charlie could feel Draco's hands sliding down his back, clinging to him and pulling him closer. When Charlie's hard cock pressed against Draco's through their jeans, Draco threw his head back and moaned lightly.

The sound of his voice calling out in pleasure sent a spark off in Charlie and he began kissing along Draco's now exposed neck.

"Mmm," Draco hummed, his hands reaching down for Charlie's arse, causing him to moan at the new contact. When their lips found each other's again with a frenzied desperation that Charlie had never felt before, he thrust his hips against Draco's and they both groaned at the contact.

"Charlie!" screeched Janine's voice as her tiny footsteps rushed toward the infirmary. Draco leapt off the table and out the door before anything could be said. She had her hand over her face and blood was gushing between her fingers.

After mending Janine's nose and filling out paperwork on the prisoner that hit Draco, as well as affidavits on the two migrants that held him down, Charlie's day was done. He had not seen or heard from Draco and he had begun to worry that he had made a dire mistake. There was no way to find out, the secured lockdown was already in effect. What was worse, he had begun to feel disloyal to his family for wanting a Malfoy so badly.

Charlie decided a call to his mother was in order, as it always eased his mind. When he got to his home, he immediately popped his head into the green fire.

"Oh Charlie! What a wonderful surprise," his mother exclaimed, rushing to the fireplace as soon as she heard the floo.

"Hello mum. How's life treating you?" he asked, relieved to see her warm face bend into a smile after such a long year of tragic mourning.

"Oh it's hectic now, but not nearly as it was. Teddy is over almost every day and the boys are always in and out, but you know I would never trade it for anything," she said, still bustling about the house in Charlie's line of sight. "But what about you? It's hatching season isn't it?" she said, finally settling herself in a chair by the fire with a cup of tea.

"Sure is! We've got five this year, just about ready to go!" Charlie said proudly.

"Oh you must be worked to the bone," she commented, looking worried.

"Well, actually I'm not. Some minimum security prisoners who are up for probation soon were sent over to do some grunt work," Charlie said, glad the fire hid his red face at the mere thought of Draco.

"How clever! Good for them to get some fresh air," Molly smiled heartily.

"Yes, yes it is…umm…" Charlie started, shifting on his legs a little.

"Out with it, son," she said, looking suspicious.

"Draco Malfoy is in the lot," Charlie said quickly, waiting for his mother's stream of vitriol to shoot forth.

"That poor boy," Molly muttered, shaking her head slightly.

"What do you mean, mum? I was under the impression we felt only loathing for Malfoys," Charlie said, lifting his eyebrows to her.

"Lucius, yes. Narcissa…at one time, but now that I've been with Andromeda so much, I don't know. Narcissa is really trying to patch things up with Andromeda, and she's so wonderful with Teddy…But listen to me going on and on. I think Draco is a victim of his father. Sure, he had a choice, but imagine you were sixteen, and your father recruited you for Voldemort's Death Eaters. That little boy was given a Dark Mark at sixteen! To top that off, Voldemort threatened to kill his whole family if he didn't do as he was told. A young man shouldn't have to make that decision," Molly said, sipping her tea solemnly.

"But he is the reason Bill has scars! Why Ron almost died!" Charlie said, his own inner conflict ripping at him.

"And what would have happened had he refused?" Molly said gently.

Charlie paused. "Sure, we all had choices," he said thoughtfully to his mother, "but Draco's were all unfathomable. He took the path where he and his family could live," Charlie said, his eyes glazing over at the thought of what he would have done for his family if he had been given the choice. Charlie couldn't say he wouldn't have done the same…though he would never have found himself at that crossroads to begin with. Draco had tried to do what he could, and Charlie decided in that moment it was enough. Draco was only human.

"Thanks mum. You're brilliant and beautiful as always," Charlie said, blowing her a kiss.

"Oh stop," she blushed as Charlie disappeared back into his home.

He poured himself a drink and relished the feeling of Draco's lips on his.

Three weeks after the most memorable kiss of his life, Charlie was positive Draco Malfoy wanted to forget it. He had only spoken to Charlie of work, and even then, never met his eyes. Charlie was a little hurt, but let it go as his hatchlings were about to be born. As he made his way to the nursery area, he could see a Chinese Fireball rearing and blowing fire in every direction. It was time for their first hatching of the season.

Charlie cast a Disillusionment charm over himself to keep from being spotted by the new mother, snuck by the new mother, and crept along the fence. He soon bumped into another invisible someone.

"Hey, it's Robards," Charlie's teammate, Gawain Robards, whispered.

"Weasley here."

"Right. Janine is in front of me," Robards whispered again.

"Okay, let the little one come on out and let mummy clean it up before we stun her to take measurements," Charlie instructed, readying his wand. The anticipation moved so rapidly through him that he could feel it all the way to the bottom of his feet. The team inched forward slowly, clinging to one another's robes, so that they were all standing in the middle of the pitch when the little claw finally broke out from the shell.

Suddenly, the Chinese Fireball seemed to look directly to Charlie's left. She reared up and shot a blaze from deep in her throat. He dove over to block Robards.

The searing pain of a dragon's fire tearing at his flesh was almost too much for Charlie to bear. He could feel his voice keening from his throat as he yelled out in agony. Charlie felt the squelch of mud as his whole world went black.

He woke feeling cold but completely soothed as Wilkes, the reserve's healer, gazed down at him reassuringly. He lifted up his right hand to make sure it was still there, and sure enough it was completely healed and dripping with yellow goo.

"You're a genius, I could kiss ya!" Charlie exclaimed, grabbing the graying wizard and trying to pull him in for a kiss.

Wilkes laughed heartily and handed him a potion. "This should keep Dragon Pox at bay, but just to be sure, will you kip in the infirmary tonight so I can be close?" he asked, growing serious again.

Charlie nodded and reached for a towel, rising to wipe off the Murtlap Essence.

When he had gotten most of the goop off, Charlie could see the white scarring of the burns covering his right side all the way to his knee. He wrapped a towel around his waist and ran a finger over his abdomen.

"The scarring will leave in a few days. You'll be back to your pretty self in no time," Wilkes said, tossing another towel at him. "Wash up a bit."

Charlie saluted and was moving toward the shower in the room next door when he heard Draco's unmistakable shouts.

"What did I tell you? Why didn't you listen?" he screamed, slamming open the door.

"Why should I ever listen to vile scum like you?" Janine said, levitating a very large white bundle next to her. The bundle shifted and let out a painful mewl, smoke emanating from the front.

"Merlin, Janine, what happened?" Charlie said, helping her lay the injured dragon on the table.

"We put her in the adult pen," she started shakily. "We had to get it ready for release sooner or later."

"And she was fucking beat up by those big dragons!" Draco yelled.

Charlie unfolded the dragon's wrap and found one of her hands missing and replaced by oozing blood. He quickly healed her with a set of spells designed especially for dragons, but sadly could not replace her missing appendage. Charlie sedated her to examine her further.

"I said shut up, Death Eater!" Janine yelled.

"She was too young! She was just an adolescent," Draco said, looking like the fire in his body was coiling to strike. "She was too young and unprepared…and you just threw her in there. You forced her to be a part of that malicious crowd! It's a wonder she didn't lose her bloody life," Draco finished, walking over to lift the dragon's left arm. "Though she may have been better off,' he whispered, his eyes glazing over.

Charlie thought back to his conversation with his mum a few weeks earlier, he didn't fail to see the symbolism in Draco's diatribe.

"Janine, can you go supervise the hatchlings? I'll take care of this one when I get done washing this Murtlap off. Draco, you can stay with her if you'd like, or go and help out," Charlie said, his mind still reeling at Draco's emotional attachment and what it meant.

He turned on the tap in a shower stall and washed away the stinking sap from his body, now relishing the heat on his injuries. He closed his eyes only to feel a pair of hands ghosting over his new scars.

He opened his eyes to find Draco staring at him, his gray irises burning. His pale, naked body shifted elegantly to stand closer to Charlie. The older wizard lifted his hands and ran them across Draco's smooth back, moaning at the contact.

"Are you okay?" Draco croaked. "I heard you were hurt." He ran his long fingers over Charlie's scarred abdomen.

"I'm alright now," Charlie groaned. He put his hands on the sides of Draco's neck, meeting his eyes, and kissed him hard. Draco's whole body moved into the kiss, pressing Charlie against the slatted wooden wall. He felt Draco push his hard cock into Charlie's and they both moaned loudly.

Charlie swept his tongue over Draco's smooth lips and felt the pressure of his tongue on the other man's. He pulled back and sucked Draco's bottom lip into his mouth, earning a moan and a thrust from his thin form. Charlie reached down and took Draco's cock in his hand. It was long and hard, not as thick as his own, but it felt amazing in his hand. Draco moaned his name, his hips rocking back and forth to Charlie's rhythm.

Draco pressed his body impossibly close to Charlie's as his fist pumped rhythmically. Charlie sighed as Draco buried his nose into his neck, moaning lightly. His smooth lips raked across Charlie's skin, sending shivers through his body and heat coiling around his abdomen. He ran his free hand down Draco's back and cupped his arse, letting a finger trace along the cleft. Draco cried out and gripped Charlie's shoulders tightly, seeming to cling to him in both fear and anticipation.

Charlie slid his aching cock against Draco's and wrapped his large hand around both of their members. He began thrusting in time.

"Oh Fuck!" Draco yelled, thrusting wildly against Charlie. Even under the hot spray of the shower, the heat between them was amazing. Charlie could feel Draco's body trembling, and he found his power over this sharp-tongued man enthralling. He pressed his lips back into Draco's, never wanting to let go. His tongue ran inside of Draco's hot mouth. He groaned as his partner's thrusts became more uncontrolled.

Charlie felt Draco's cock twitch, and hot liquid sprayed on to his stomach. He milked him until Draco went nearly limp in his arms, whispering his name. He looked up and smirked at Charlie in that cynical way, but his eyes were bright. Charlie placed his hands on Draco's face, kissing him gently. He knew he wanted to care for Draco, to give him a place to go, to clear away all of the shadows for as long as he would need. Charlie was utterly committed and smitten.

"I'm sorry…I've never…well that is to say," Draco stuttered. Charlie kissed him again to silence his unease. It was obvious to Charlie that Draco had never been with a man. He didn't need to lay that out there at this moment.

"Shh…" Charlie whispered, kissing him again. "As long as you don't ignore me this time, it's alright."

Draco wrapped his arms around Charlie again, gyrating his hips and pressing his bare chest against Charlie's chiseled body. He began kissing Charlie's neck, down his shoulders, and down even further to flick his tongue across Charlie's nipple. Charlie groaned and his hips bucked involuntarily. Draco's hands grazed over Charlie's arse and his knees hit the tiled floor. His breath hitched in his throat at the sight of Draco's burning eyes gazing up at him, his throbbing red cock close to Draco's elegant mouth. When Draco's lips wound over the tip, Charlie put his hands softly in Draco's slick, long blonde hair to keep himself from thrusting forward.

Soon, Charlie could feel the back of Draco's throat and the young man's long, thin fingers gripped his hips for more leverage. Draco's tongue swirled around him as he pulled back only to take Charlie into his warm mouth again. Sooner than he expected, Charlie was groaning, his hips shaking erratically. Charlie let his free hand cup Draco's face again.

"Oh Draco…God…I'm gonna come!" Charlie cried out. Draco let his whole mouth tighten as his tenor voice hummed deeply. Charlie came hard, moaning with abandon. Draco stood facing him now, running a hand softly along Charlie's jaw line. Charlie kissed him again, licking the cum off of his lips.

"10 minutes to lockdown," came a voice over the loud speaker. Charlie's heart fell in disappointment and he even saw Draco's shoulders slump slightly as he went to get a towel.

"Hey," Charlie said when he wrapped a towel around himself. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Draco nodded. Charlie noticed he never said much when he wasn't angry or disgusted, so he saw Draco's silence as golden. Charlie pulled him in for an embrace.

"I'll kip here tonight, Doctor's orders." Charlie pulled away, winking. "We'll have breakfast together tomorrow."

Draco smirked, lifted an eyebrow, and kissed Charlie again before rushing out of the room.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Charlie woke up well rested only to find it was still the middle of the night. Sleeping in the infirmary had messed up his rhythm, and he felt wide-awake. He decided to rise and check on his eggs before forcing himself back to sleep.

When he got out to the pitch, he saw that all five mothers were sleeping peacefully. However, the peace didn't reach Charlie because he saw something in the distance that made his heart stop and drop out of his body: Literally hanging from the fence was Draco, his body naked and bruised, blood dripping from his face, and a rope around his neck hanging from a fence post. He was strung up like bait for the angry mothers.

Charlie wanted to run to him, wanted to scream, but he knew better even in his panic. He drew his wand and sedated the mothers before running to the other end of the large pitch and screaming for help. He looked over to the barns and saw a small group of people staring maliciously and not moving. Charlie knew they had intended to kill Draco. He hadn't been meant to survive the first time. They turned and ran when Charlie pointed his wand at them, but he had finally arrived at Draco's suspended form.

Draco's fingers were tucked under his chin around the rope. Charlie could hear faint struggled wheezing behind the white knuckles and dripping blood.

_"Relashio_!" Charlie shouted, catching the injured form as he fell. Charlie ripped the rope from Draco's neck and heard a strangled garbling gasp for air. He sat down in the mud, resting Draco across his legs so that he could wrap his cloak around the pale, shivering body. Though Draco was the same height as Charlie, he felt so small wrapped in Charlie's arms.

"You're okay. Calm down. Try to breathe," Charlie soothed as Draco still struggled for air. The tamer sent a dragon Patronus to Wilkes and Dobson, begging them for help. Wilkes Apparated immediately, with Dobson Shortly behind.

"You should have let me die," Draco garbled, blood dripping down his chin.

"Never," Charlie said, his throat contracting.

"I'm nothing. I'm shit and I deserve shit. My family is broken, my future is dead, and I have no place in this world. I don't belong anywhere, Charlie," Draco struggled with his words, his eyes burning with pain. It felt like the most he had ever said to Charlie, and it ripped him apart inside.

"You belong here. You belong with me," Charlie cried, trying to wipe the blood from Draco's mouth.

"What the fuck happened?" Dobson shouted, finally making her way over to the pair. Wilkes immediately began running his wand over Draco.

"Four fucking guys, standing over there…couldn't see them…I can't…I" Charlie stammered, his own panic becoming overwhelming as Draco seemed now impossibly still.

Wilkes stood and whispered something in Dobson's ear.

"Charlie, we have to get these people now. Wilkes is going to tend to Mr. Malfoy, but I need you to help me search. We need to find Janine too," Dobson said, her wand drawn and her face immeasurably fierce.

"Why, Janine?" Charlie said, watching Draco's limp form being carried away.

"She was on watch tonight," Dobson said gravely.

With wands, it wasn't hard to find the four culprits, and soon they were sent off to the Ministry. To his surprise, none of them were the remaining prisoners, but trusted and random employees of the reserve.

Soon, they found Janine, sitting quietly in one of the dorms, reading _Witch Weekly._

"Why didn't you get up when the alarms went off?" Charlie shouted angrily.

"Only Malfoy was gone. The worthless sod deserves to be in trouble," she said flippantly.

"He was nearly killed!" Charlie shouted, turning red.

"Janine, you're fired. Get your things and go. No severance necessary after the damage you've caused," Dobson cut in. When Janine went to say something, Dobson just raised a well-manicured hand and dismissed her wordlessly.

Charlie slammed his fist into the wall, his bones snapping at the force. Dobson healed it distractedly.

"You need to go home. I will contact you with word of Mr. Malfoy's condition," she said, her hand going around his shoulder.

Not in the mood for walking, Charlie Disapparated away.

* * *

Draco had never been more relieved to see a small, worn-down looking house before. It was only a five-minute walk from the reserve, but it felt like a lifetime. When he had woken up from that nightmare, Wilkes had been standing over him, his neck had been healed, and his probation had officially begun.

He gripped his wand tightly in his hand as he had the day he had first gotten it. He knocked on the door of the quaint blue house, trying to suppress his distaste for the 'W' shaped doorknocker.

When Charlie answered the door, it took everything Draco had to hold himself together. Never had unkempt hair, an unshaven face, and a shirtless form in ragged jeans been so sexy. Even his freckles called out to Draco to be kissed.

"You're okay," Charlie whispered, reaching his hands out.

Draco flinched back reflexively, trying to avoid temptation until he found his words. "Did you mean what you said?" Draco asked, holding his breath but keeping his face stoic.

Draco needed this. He needed Charlie. The way Charlie had touched him with such care and tenderness had awoken something deep inside of him. For the first time in his life, he felt wanted, he felt like he had a way out. But Draco put little stake in hope and feelings. He needed to know that Charlie meant every word. He needed to know that Charlie really could pull him out of the shadow.

"I meant every word, Draco," Charlie said firmly, his brown eyes shining with determination.

Draco smirked and flung his arms around Charlie's bare shoulders, pressing his body into his as close as he possibly could. He could feel Charlie's warm breath in his hair, his large hands running across his back. Draco began to kiss Charlie's neck as he held him tightly there in the doorway.

Charlie grabbed Draco's face and kissed him hard, his back slamming against the doorframe.

Draco heard a moan and couldn't decipher who it belonged to, but knew he wanted more. He felt Charlie tug on his shirt and pull him into the house, his tongue assaulting Draco's with mind numbing sensations. He flicked his wand to close the door.

Charlie pulled back from him and gazed at him solemnly. He ran his hand along Draco's jaw and Draco turned his face toward his eyes.

"I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been okay. No one told me anything. I kept trying to get to you, but they kept sending me home," Charlie said, hands moving all over Draco as if verifying he was there.

"I'm here now," Draco whispered, too overwhelmed by the depth in Charlie's eyes. No one ever looked at him like that. Only one other person in the world seemed to care like Charlie did, for Draco was almost obscene with need for even the smallest drop of affection.

Draco sighed when Charlie's hands went up his shirt, running over his chest and back. He longed to have those hands everywhere; he wanted to feel Charlie everywhere. Charlie lifted his shirt and Draco complied, feeling his lips press to his nipples with exquisite feather-light kisses.

Draco's hands threaded in Charlie's nest of orange hair and pulled his face back up for another kiss. Charlie pulled Draco against him, and Draco reveled at how their contrasting skin felt pressed warmly against each other. He groaned when Charlie's hips thrust forward and his erection pressed against Draco's trough their jeans. As his tongue ran over the inside of Charlie's mouth, he could feel himself being pulled down the hall. Fear and anticipation gripped him and his kisses became more frenzied.

Draco knees soon hit the side of a large bed that was covered with a green velvet overlay and gold pillows and trim. When Charlie pushed Draco back onto the bed and his bare skin hit the velvet, he sighed comfortably at the contact.

"Maybe there's some Slytherin in there after all," Draco joked, running his hands across the bed.

"In your dreams," growled Charlie, covering Draco's body with his own and kissing him hard, grinding his hips up against Draco's.

Draco reached down and quickly undid Charlie's jeans, unbuckling the belt and shoving it out of the way. He had never been so eager to touch someone in his entire life. When his hand finally wrapped around Charlie's hot flesh, they both moaned out. Charlie's hips were thrusting into Draco's hand, and at that angle, Draco could see his face filed with desire; eyes closed and lips parted. His tanned cheeks were red and his hands seemed to fish into the bedclothes. Draco kissed Charlie passionately, wanting to taste every inch of him.

Charlie began to kiss down Draco's neck, over his shoulders, and across his chest. When he pulled away from Draco's grip, he was a little disappointed. However, Charlie was soon unbuttoning Draco's jeans, kissing each inch of flesh as it was exposed. Draco writhed, the little kisses so close to his cock that they sent shockwaves through his body. Charlie slowly slid off Draco's boots, pulling the socks with them. Then, he reached up and pulled his jeans and shorts over his bare feet. Draco leaned up to watch Charlie finish undressing, his heart racing at what to expect next.

After more deep kissing, their bodies pressed together with no space between them, Charlie leaned up and whispered "Lie on your stomach."

Draco's breath caught as he complied, letting the smooth velvet press against his bare chest. He could feel himself trembling, and he tried hard to stifle it, not wanting to appear apprehensive about something he wanted so badly. Charlie's warm skin pressed against his back, his erection nesting in the cleft of Draco's ass.

"Relax, Draco. I won't hurt you. Just stop me if you feel uncomfortable."

Draco replied by lifting his hips, letting Charlie's cock fall further between his cheeks. Charlie pulled back, causing Draco to mourn the loss of the hot cock that had been pressed against him. His disappointment lasted only a moment, however, as Charlie's lips found Draco's arse, kissing his skin softly and running his hands up and down Draco's sides. Charlie's hands then gripped him firmly, spreading him apart carefully as heat coiled in Draco's center. His heart and mind were racing as he lay there completely opened up and exposed to Charlie.

"Beautiful," Charlie whispered, his breath moving over the sensitive skin of Draco's opening.

When Charlie's hot, wet tongue pressed against Draco's hole, he yelled in surprise, with a groan of pleasure deep in his throat to quickly follow. His hips shifted and Charlie's grip on his cheeks tightened. He felt Charlie's tongue run languidly over him, causing him to moan uncontrollably and reach down to take his own cock in hand. Suddenly, Charlie's rigid tongue went inside Draco, and he saw stars behind his closed eyes.

"Fuck, Weasley!" Draco groaned, his breath coming out in gasps as his face pressed into the pillow and Charlie continued his glorious motions. When Charlie's tongue left Draco, he whimpered a little at the loss, his fingers still wrapped tightly around his cock. "Don't stop," Draco said, not even bothered by being reduced to begging as Charlie reached for something in his nightstand. He crawled over to Draco and pressed his lips to his ear.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he said as one of his fingers entered Draco slowly, causing him to buck against Charlie's hand. "Mmm. You like that?" Charlie said lightly, biting at his shoulders. Draco just moaned in response. Charlie continued to push his finger in and out, adding another one as Draco melted into the bed.

"You're so fucking sexy," Charlie whispered in his ear, picking up the pace. "Draco."

The sound of his name on Charlie's lips sent him over the edge, and soon Draco was spilling hot liquid everywhere underneath him. He was about to collapse when Charlie gripped his hips again, casting a cleansing charm on the bed and kissing Draco's shoulders softly. Draco was still trying to catch his breath.

"I want you. I want to fuck you," Charlie said between kisses. Draco turned on his side and kissed Charlie passionately, their tongues dancing together in excitement. Charlie's hand floated down Draco's ribs and over his navel before touching his already hardening cock.

"Mmmm. You want that too, don't you?" Charlie groaned, his hand cupping Draco's balls. Draco nodded, his words failing him as Charlie pushed him back on his stomach. Draco lifted his hips in the air, his body shaking again. Charlie leaned over him, wrapping his arms around Draco and pulling him up to his chest.

"Draco," Charlie said as Draco settled back into his arms. "I care, okay? I won't hurt you. I won't…" he said softly, rubbing the blonde wizard's arms and chest. After a few more deep breaths, Draco leaned forward his hips in the air, cock aching with anticipation.

Draco felt something cool and wet drip down his cleft, moaning as Charlie's fingers entered him again, spreading the liquid. Charlie's knees parted his legs farther and Draco's head fell to the pillow. The head of Charlie's thick cock pressed through Draco's tight ring. When he hissed at the burn, Charlie rubbed his back up and down. He moved in farther, causing the same burning pain, but a hint of something intense was springing inside of Draco as well. Charlie pulled back and pushed in slowly, not entering all the way. Draco began to ease around him, but this time, the pleasure outweighed the pain and Draco wanted more.

Draco bucked his hips back, taking Charlie all the way in and crying out with sudden pain as Charlie groaned and collapsed on Draco's back.

"Blood hell, Draco," Charlie said, groaning but trying to remain still as Draco relaxed. Charlie kissed him softly, his hands running up Draco's thigh as Draco eased against Charlie's hips.

When he was ready, Draco bucked back against him again, skin hitting skin, and Charlie yelled out. Charlie began moving at a faster pace, and the burning subsided in Draco, replaced by an overwhelming need.

"Harder," Draco groaned.

"Yes," Charlie hissed, picking up his pace and slamming into Draco. His entire body was on fire, craving more as and he felt Charlie pulsing inside of him. After more glorious, unending moments, Charlie's pace lost rhythm.

"Gonna come," Charlie moaned, reaching down to fist Draco's cock. "Come with me, wanna feel you."

As Charlie let out a few more powerful thrusts, Draco's whole body clenched. "Charlie," he cried, thrusting into Charlie's grip. When he felt the hot liquid filling him, Draco spilled over for the second time that wonderful evening.

Charlie pulled away slowly, casting a cleansing charm on them both. He fell back against the pillow, reaching out for Draco's hand. Draco shifted, hissing a little at the pain in his behind.

"You gonna be alright, Draco?" Charlie said, brushing a stray hair out of his face and looking concerned.

"More than alright," he answered, kissing Charlie softly.

"What do you want for breakfast tomorrow morning?" Charlie asked. "I'm yours all day."

"Mmmm. Something completely irrational," Draco answered, turning on his side. Charlie pulled him close and pressed his chest into Draco's back. Draco took his hand and wound it around his waist.

Draco drifted off to sleep, feeling at home, feeling content for the first time in his short, turbulent life.


End file.
